The short answer is maybe. But based on some our users' comments, we would stay away from in house shower and tub kits like Pegasus that are installed in the wall.

Home Depot and Lowes Stores carry identical models of name brand faucets that you would find in a fancier showroom or special in-house models made just for them.

You're pretty safe with brands like Kohler, American Standard, Delta, and Price Pfister. Also, if the store doesn't stock what you want it can be ordered.

We like to see what we are buying and actually test the faucet and feel its weight. For higher end models like Grohe or Hans Grohe, visit a Expo Design or a bathroom and kitchen design showroom. It will give you a sense of prices and quality in relation to Lowes and Home Depot.

Special faucets for Home Depot and Lowes
Most major faucet manufacturers will make special faucet models just for the Home Depot or Lowes. No one else can possibly have a lower price on an in-house model, because no one else carries exactly the same model. In many cases the faucet is identical to the manufacturer's regular faucet, just renamed. You might find the same number with a HD (Home Depot) tagged on at the end. But in some cases, the faucet can be sold at a lower price because the materials used are lower quality - plastic spouts rather than brass, for example.

If you're not entirely sure of whether an apparent main-line faucet is actually an in-house model. But here's what you can do. Go to the store and write down the model. Then go to the manufacturer's web site and search for that particular model. If the model number or name is exactly the same, most likely you have a regular-line faucet. If it is not the same (usually by the addition of a suffix such as M1045-HD rather than M1045), then it is probably a store model. Check the in-house model against our list of things to look for in a kitchen and bathroom faucet.

Should you buy a house brand faucet like Pegasus Faucets?
The Home Depot and Expo Design stores carry Pegasus bathroom and kitchen faucets and accessories. These seem like good faucets. We remodeled our entire master bathroom with Pegasus faucets since they met all of our criteria. The price was certainly lower and the styles of the faucet were comparable to brands like Kohler and American Standard.

After buying and installing the faucets and pressure balancing valve for the shower, we developed a case of

buyer's remorse.

In reality, we were not too worried about the faucets, but the pressure balancing shower valve was another matter. It's located behind that expensive ceramic or travertine tile. If the pressure balancing valve fails, you are in big trouble. You'll have to tear down the wall to replace it, assuming that you can find the replacement part.

Perhaps that is the major reason for not buying a Pegasus or other store brand. It definitely is the best reason to be very wary of very cheap faucets, showers and the pressure balancing valves that come with them.

Currently, Pegasus faucets and accessories are easily available. In our master bathroom, the pressure valve was mounted to far into the wall and the screws that came with the shower cover could not reach it. Our second plumber told us we needed and extender. We went to Expo Design and easily bought one and our plumber completed the shower installation.

Why are the store brand faucets less expense?
The in house store brands like Pegasus could cost less, because inferior materials are used. I'm not really sure that is the case though.

I believe stores like Home Depot, Expo Design and Lowes have tremendous purchasing power. These companies get the product into hundreds of retail outlets and in front of millions of consumers. So in effect they can drive a hard bargain. Who knows, maybe Kohler, Delta or Moen are manufacturing Pegasus. If you know who is, please contact me. I will share your comments with our readers.

In closing, we hope that Home Depot or Lowes will respond to these concerns on this website.